Texas Cavier

 I had this appetizer at my friend's house also - and I wanted to stay and eat it all.  I had to step 10 feet away so I wouldn't continue to eat it all gone!  Haha

INGREDIENTS:

1 can black beans, drained

1 can black eyed peas, drained

1 can shoe peg corn, drained

4 oz jar pimentos

6 oz jar jalapenos or banana peppers

1 cup celery, chopped

1 med onion, chopped

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup sugar

1 cup oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Drain all canned foods and mix.  Add pimentos and jalapenos (or banana peppers).  Mix in celery and onion.
2. Heat in sauce pan - apple cider vinegar, sugar and oil.  Heat until sugar dissolves.
3. Pour over bean mix and toss to coast.
4. Marinate over night in refrigerator.
5. Drain before serving.
6. Dip with scoops or tortillas

Festive Dip

I tried this at my friend's house - it was addicting!!! I had to have the recipe!

INGREDIENTS:

1 red pepper, diced
1 banana pepper, diced or 2 jalapenos chopped

1 can corn

1/2 can olives, drained and diced

2 - 8 oz cream cheese

1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix

DIRECTIONS:

Fold into softened 16 oz cream cheese.  Mix in 1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix.  Chill.  Serve with crackers

Instant Pot Artichoke & Spinach Dip - Applebees Copycat

 Ingredients

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 10 oz box Frozen Spinach
• 16 oz Shredded Parm Cheese
• 8 oz Shredded Mozzarella
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 14 oz can artichoke hearts
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp onion powder

Instructions

1.  Place 3 cloves garlic in the IP with 1/2 cup chicken broth.
2. Drain Artichokes and pour into the pot.
3. Place Frozen spinach, sour cream, cream cheese, mayo and onion powder in the Ip. 
4. Place on Manual High Pressure for 4 minutes.
5. Do a Quick Release.
6. Stir in Cheese
7. Transfer to a bowl and serve with corn chips or bread. This will thicken more as it cools.

Easy Blender Salsa

Super easy salsa recipe!!  I got it from Six Sisters Stuff website...and have made it several times!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 1 jalapeno pepper (seeds and ribs removed)
• 1 onion (quartered)
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• Salt, to taste
• 1 (13 ounce) bag whole grain tortilla chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Pour all ingredients into a blender. Blend until fairly smooth.
2. Add additional salt and lemon juice to reach desired taste.
3. Serve with tortilla chips 

Queso Blanco Dip

Best. Dip. EVER.  A must try!  I got this from Seeded At The Table website.  It is a definite crowd pleaser!

• 1 1/4 (1.25) lb block White American Cheese (Land O'Lakes brand preferred), cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1/4 cup diced green chiles, from a can
• 2 pickled jalapenos, chopped
• 1 ounce pickled jalapeno juice
• pinch of cumin (optional)

Stir together the cheese cubes, milk and water into a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 5 minutes, stopping to stir after every minute. The mixture might seem watery during the first few stirs, but should come together as a nice runny dip after all the cheese is melted. Remove from the microwave and stir in the rest of the ingredients.

Serve immediately as a dip with tortilla chips or as a sauce over your favorite Mexican dish. If using for a party dip, transfer to a small Crock Pot on the warm setting.

*Recipe Note: White American cheese is found at most deli counters in your local grocery store. Land o' Lakes is my preferred brand, however, I have had great results with Boar's Head, too.

*Reheat Instructions: Store any leftover cheese dip in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until creamy and hot.

Hot Artichoke Dip

I found this in Juanita's cookbook, it comes from Julia (Paul's sister).  They say it's really good.

1 cup mayo
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups Mozzarella cheese, grated
2- 6 1/2 oz. jars of artichoke hearts
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

optional:  1 pkg cream cheese and green chilies

Mix all ingredients and bake at 350 for 30 min.  After done, sprinkle with Paprika.

Hot {and healthy} White Bean Dip

The girls made this for school snack and it was gone in a flash.  I left out the bacon; I never have bacon on hand.  Plus, I used white beans that I had precooked in the crockpot.

Hot White Bean Dip with Bacon
(from Cooking Light)

2 slices bacon  (I don't use bacon and it still  is Great)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 c. chicken broth
1 can 14-ounce white beans, drained
1/4 c. chopped green onions
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. hot sauce
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp crushed rosemary

Cook bacon in a small saucepan over medium heat. until crisp.   Remove bacon from pan; set aside.  Add garlic to drippings in pan; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.  Add broth and beans; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.
Combine bean mixture, onions, and remaining ingredients in a food processor, and process until smooth.  Spoon taste it and add more salt to taste, as well as hot sauce and lemon juice if desired.  Sprinkle dip with remaining bacon just before serving.
Serve with pita chips.  (We've been serving with those new flat pretzels- yum)

Black bean & avocado salsa

Super yummy salsa...this is delicious!

1 can black beans rinsed
1 can white corn rinsed
1 pkg dry Italian dressing
1 avocado  chopped small
2-4 green onions chopped
5 Roma tomatoes chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and enjoy with chips!

Fresh Fruit Brushetta with Orange Honey Cream Sauce

I found this recipe last year and wanted to try it! After all the mangos I have been getting in my Bountiful Basket each week I knew it was time. THIS RECIPE IS DIVINE! Oh my. Incredible! I want to make this again and again this summer.

Oh, and Costco has the Our Best Bites cookbook for only $15.99. Quite a bit cheaper than at Deseret Book! I was excited to find it there.

Fresh Fruit Bruschetta with Orange-Honey Cream
Recipe by Our Best Bites

1 baguette or similar-sized French bread loaf
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1-1/2 C diced strawberries (about 10 medium strawberries)
1 C finely diced mango (about 1 medium mango)
1 C finely diced kiwi (about 3 kiwi)
1/2 C sour cream
3 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp orange zest (I used True Orange for this)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Slice bread into 1/2 inch slices.  Place in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Use a pastry brush to brush each piece with melted butter.  Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle evenly over bread slices.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are toasted.  Set aside to cool.

While bread is toasting, combine Breakstone’s Sour Cream, honey, and orange zest.  Stir to combine and place in the fridge.

Combine strawberries, mango, and kiwi and stir gently to combine. When bread is cooled, place about 1 Tbsp. of fruit mixture on top of each toasted bread slice and drizzle with sweet sour cream mixture.  If needed, thin sour cream sauce with 1/2-1 tsp orange juice.  Garnish with mint leaves if desired.  Serve immediately.

Cheese Fondue

We made this last night.  This is my favorite cheese fondue recipe (so far)!

2 tsp oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup whipping cream
8 oz cream cheese at room temp.
1 c. fresh Parmesan cheese
1.2 cup Gruyere cheese (1 1/2 oz.)
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Saute onions with oil until soft, about 4 minutes.  Then add the rest of the ingredients and heat on low until melted.  Season with salt and pepper.

Dip:  variety of breads, steamed veggies, red potatoes (look below)


Red Potatoes for fondue:
1 lb red potatoes cut in 1" cubes
Boil potatoes in 6 cups of water with 1 tsp. salt until tender.

Then add 1 T. olive oil, 1 T. chopped parsley, and salt & pepper to taste.  You can prepare these a day ahead and then just warm up in oven for 10 min at 350.

honey mustard sauce/salad dressing

This is really good. Great for dipping. A great hit with the girls tonight. We made honey mustard chicken wraps with the sauce. You will need to double or triple the recipe for a big family.

Honey Mustard sauce

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon prepared mustard or dijon
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice or lime

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, honey, and lemon juice. Store covered in the refrigerator.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

I got this recipe a few years ago from a friend in my ward. It is amazingly delicious. And much better than store-bought hummus!

1 ½ cups cooked or one 15oz can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed.
¼ cup tahini (sesame paste)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, chopped
½ teaspoon sea salt
3 ½ oz roasted red peppers (from a jar)

Place beans in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth and well blended. Place in an tightly covered container and refrigerate. Flavors will blend and develop more when refrigerated. Hummus will keep for up to a week. Serve as a dip with whole grain crackers or vegetables, or use as a sandwich filling in pita bread.

Tiff's side note: I love this recipe of Marne's. It is also good without the red peppers, if you want to leave those out. My kids love dipping fresh veggies in this dip.

honey butter

My cousin's husband shared this recipe with me- So my cousin in law? not sure- anyway good stuff we're talking about here.

equal parts of

honey
butter (soft)
marshmallow creme

whip it up- amazing stuff.

Chicken, Pesto & Tomato Flatbread

A yummy appetizer!! I got this recipe after trying it at a Pampered Chef party.

2-3 plum tomatoes
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbs plus 1 tsp olive oil, divided
1 pkg refrigerated thin crust pizza crust
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves ( I used dried - but don't know the equivalent - maybe 1 - 2 TBS.
1/4 cup pecan halves, toasted (optional)
2 cups shredded provolone cheese, divided
1 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
2 cups diced cooked chicken breasts
2 garlic cloves, pressed

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice tomatoes and sprinkle with salt. Let stand 10 minutes or until salt is dissolved. Blot tops of tomatoes with paper towels; set aside.

Brush large bar pan with 1 tsp of olive oil. Unroll crust onto bottom of pan, gently stretching and pressing dough to cover bottom. Bake 11 - 13 minutes or until golden brown.

Meanwhile, finely chop basil and pecans. Combine basil, pecans, half of Parmesan cheese, half of provolone cheese, chicken, remaining 3 TBS of olive oil and garlic; mix well.

Sprinkle crust with remaining parmesan cheese; top with tomatoes, chicken mixture and then remaining provolone cheese. Bake 5 - 7 minutes or until cheese is melted. Cut into squares and serve.

Broccoli Salad

I got this recipe from Chad's new employee today. She brought it to the company Christmas party and I LOVED it! I even brought some home. It is so good!

Ingredients:

* 2 bunches broccoli, florets only (5 to 6 cups florets) - I chop up the tender part of the root too or can save for later
* 2 bunches chopped green onion - use the green tops too
* 1/2 cup raisins
* 1/2 cup chopped roasted almonds
* 10 to 12 slices bacon, fried and crumbled or 2 TB Bacos bacon bits(for vegetarian style)

* Dressing:
* 1 cup mayonnaise
* 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or more to taste
* 2 teaspoons sugar

Preparation:
Separate florets from broccoli stalks - I like to shave and chop them off the stalk - giving a size variation in the salad. Save the remainder of the broccoli for another use or freeze for later. Combine salad ingredients; mix well with dressing mixture. Chill and serve.

Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Dip

1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained, finely chopped

1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained

3/4 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

3/4 cup KRAFT Light Mayo Reduced Fat Mayonnaise

1/2 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

HEAT oven to 350°F. Mix all ingredients; spoon into 9-inch quiche dish or pie plate.

BAKE 20 min. or until heated through. Serve with TRISCUIT Reduced Fat Crackers and assorted cut-up fresh vegetables.

So easy and SO YUMMY!

Black Bean and Corn Dip

We ate this dip while watching the BSU game on Saturday. YUM! We want more already. We didn't have avocado so I left it out and it still tasted fabulous. I found this recipe in some magazine.

2 c. frozen sweet corn (or one can corn, drained)
1/2 c. canned black beans, rinsed thoroughly
1 c. salsa
1 bunch green onions, diced
1/2 avocado, sliced
juice of half a lime
1/4 c. cilantro, chopped

Combine all ingredients and toss well. Let sit for an hour before serving to meld flavors. Serve with chips or with Tostitos Scoops chips.

Fresh Tomato & Basil Bruschetta

3 large ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced (about 1 pound)
½ medium zucchini coarsely chopped (about ½ cup)
¼ cup snipped fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
½ tsp. olive oil
¼ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
2 T. grated fresh Parmesan cheese

I buy the bread and cut it in ½ thick pieces (baguette) and slightly toast it in the oven.
In a small bowl, combine tomatoes, zucchini, basil, garlic, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. Mix gently. Then scoop tomato mixture on top of round bread pieces (already toasted). Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
I LOVE THIS! Tiffani

This is a Pampered Chef recipe.

Thai Chicken Dip

This is the best tasting appetizer Jeff and I have ever had.. oohh it is so good you won't want to stop eating it!

1 c. chopped cooked chicken breast
½ c. shredded carrot
¼ c. chopped unsalted peanuts
3 Tbs. chopped green onions
3 Tbs. Yoshidas’s Sauce, divided
1 Tbs. minced fresh parsley
1 garlic clove
1 tsp. sesame seeds, toasted
2 Tbs. packed brown sugar
½ tsp. cornstarch
½ c. water
2 Tbs. ketchup
1 ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. cider vinegar
2 drops hot pepper sauce
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese

Tortilla chips

In a bowl, combine the chicken, carrot, peanuts, onions, 2 Tbs. Yoshida sauce, parsley, garlic and sesame seeds. Cover and refrigerate for several hours. In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar and cornstarch; sir in water, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and hot pepper sauce until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Cool for 5 minutes. Cover and refrigerate. Just before serving, in a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and remaining Yoshida sauce until smooth. Spread evenly into a 12 inch serving dish. Cover with chicken mixture; drizzle with sauce. Serve with tortilla chips. Yield: 10 servings